Wish You Were Here
Salme is about to marry, and her four closest friends gather to prepare her with tulle, jokes, and teasing about the wedding night. Set in Karaj in 1978, just before the Iranian Revolution, the play follows these friends across the next decade as political upheaval transforms Iran, their relationships, and the futures they imagine for themselves. Iranian-American playwright Sanaz Toossi brings humor, sharp insight, and irreverent wit to this story of diaspora told from the perspective of those who remain.
Directed by Sivan Battat, the Studio Theatre production explores friendship, identity, political change, and the lasting consequences of upheaval through an ensemble of Iranian and Iranian-American characters.
When: September 23 through November 8, 2026
Venue: Mead Theatre at Studio Theatre
Tickets: Price not available
Playwright: Sanaz Toossi, an Iranian-American playwright and 2023 Pulitzer Prize winner for Drama. Her other plays include *English*, which received five Tony Award nominations.
Director: Sivan Battat
Run time: 105 minutes, with no intermission.
Showtimes: The page lists these October 2026 performances: Saturday, October 10 at 8:00 PM; Sunday, October 11 at 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM; Wednesday, October 14 at 7:30 PM; Thursday, October 15 at 7:30 PM; Friday, October 16 at 8:00 PM; Saturday, October 17 at 2:00 PM and 8:00 PM; Sunday, October 18 at 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM; Wednesday, October 21 at 7:30 PM; Thursday, October 22 at 7:30 PM; Friday, October 23 at 8:00 PM; Saturday, October 24 at 2:00 PM and 8:00 PM; Sunday, October 25 at 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM; Wednesday, October 28 at 7:30 PM; Thursday, October 29 at 7:30 PM; Friday, October 30 at 8:00 PM; and Saturday, October 31 at 2:00 PM and 8:00 PM.
Late seating: Latecomers will be seated at the discretion of House Management.
Environmental warnings: The production includes loud noises, moving lights, and water vapor produced by simulated smoking.
Content advisory: The page provides a content-advisory section marked as potentially containing spoilers but does not include additional advisory details in the available text.
Cast: Ellen Nikbakht as Nazanin; Layan Elwazani as Salme; Ellena Eshraghi as Zari; Shadee Vossoughi as Shideh; Ari Derambakhsh as Rana; and Ege Yalcinbas as New Friend.
Understudies: Ege Yalcinbas understudies Nazanin, Shideh, and Rana. Katie Ganem understudies Salme, Zari, and New Friend.
Design and production team: Omid Akbari, set design; Shahrzad Mazaheri, costume design; Nic Vincent, lighting design; Doaa Ouf, projections design; Kenny Neal, sound design; Adrien-Alice Hansel, dramaturgy; John Keith Hall, production stage management; and Katja Zarolinski, CSA, casting.
Related discussions: Artists in Conversation discussions are scheduled after the 2:00 PM matinees on Sunday, October 4, and Saturday, October 10.
Community celebration: The Friday, October 16 performance includes a pre-show gathering with food from a local Persian-owned restaurant and a post-show discussion with Marjan Moosavi, an assistant professor of Theatre Studies at the University of Pittsburgh. The event is intended to recognize the contributions of DC’s Persian community and artists.
Childcare matinee: The Saturday, October 17 performance at 2:00 PM is presented in partnership with the National Children’s Theatre and includes childcare services.
Community partners: The Iranian-American Community Center, also known as Pars Place, and the Persian Studies Program at the University of Maryland, College Park.
Additional resources: Studio Theatre provides related writing and research materials, including a feature on Toossi’s *Homesickness*, a timeline of Iran from 1978 to 1991, an interview about *Wish You Were Here*, rehearsal-room resources, and a note from dramaturg Adrien-Alice Hansel.
Underwriting: The production is underwritten by Albert Lauber, Craig Hoffman and Teresa and Dan Schwartz.
Ages: No age restriction is stated on the page.